Redknapp lukewarm about Europa place

Updated: 07 May 2011 10:18 IST

Spurs coach Harry Redknapp admitted on Friday he is unenthusiastic about the prospect of playing in next season's Europa League, believing it will damage Tottenham's hopes of becoming a regular top-four side.

Written by Agence-France Presse

Read Time: 2 mins

London:

Spurs coach Harry Redknapp admitted on Friday he is unenthusiastic about the prospect of playing in next season's Europa League, believing it will damage Tottenham's hopes of becoming a regular top-four side.

Redknapp guided Tottenham to a memorable maiden appearance in this season's Champions League, but Spurs look set to miss out on qualification for next year's competition after slipping to sixth place.

Tottenham, who face Blackpool on Saturday, may now end up with only a place in next season's Europa League - and Redknapp is lukewarm about playing in a tournament that will distract from the club's push for domestic honours.

"Teams who get into the Europa League want to get out of it," Redknapp said.

"Half of them put reserve teams out in the early stages and it's difficult to play every Thursday and Sunday. It disrupts things."

"We didn't have European football last year and we finished fourth. That was a big advantage to us."

"If there are teams around you in the Europa League, you want to keep them in it. If we were in it next year, and you were one of the other clubs around us, you'd want us to stay in that competition because it takes its toll."

"I wanted Man City to stay in it this year because they were playing every Thursday night, slipping off to Azerbaijan to play a team out there. It's unreal, but that's how that competition is."

Redknapp believes Tottenham will face even tougher competition to secure a place in the top four next season, in the face of a resurgent Liverpool and with Manchester City likely to strengthen their squad over the summer.

"Man City are going to spend God knows what this summer now that they have Champions League football to offer their players," he said.

"Arsenal are going to be in it, Chelsea too, and Man United. We did it last year but it was so tough. Liverpool are going to be right in it again so it's getting tougher. Aston Villa and Everton have the players to come close too."

"We need to try and improve, juggle the squad about a bit and see if we can keep pushing and trying to do it."